Wagon wheel package loader

ABSTRACT

Apparatus is provided which moves a column of nested, uniformly shaped chips into a loop array and inserts the loop array into a package.

United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,889,445 Brash June 17, 1975 WAGON WHEELPACKAGE LOADER 3,609,939 10/1971 Hooper el al 53/159 [75] Inventor:Dnuglas J. Brash, Minneapolis,

Primary ExaminerTravis S. McGehee [73] Assignee: General Mills, Inc.,Minneapolis, Ar rn y. g th y Juelmer; Gene Minn. O. Enockson; Norman P.Friederichs [22] Filed: June 3, 1974 2! A l. N 475,378 I 1 pp 0 1571ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 53/26; 53/l59 Apparatus is provided which moves acolumn of [51] lift. Cl 865D 35/44 nested uniformly shaped chips into aloop array and [58] Field of Search 53/26, I59, 147, I3 inserts he looparray into a package.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Claims, 19 DrawlngFlgures 1,279,562 9/1918 Lowell 53/159 SHEET PATENTEDJUN I 7 I975 -I-II- L I I I I 3.889.445 PATENTEDJUH 17 I975 Skim FIE! .2"

PATENTEDJUN 17 I915 SHEET FIEE' PATENTEDJIJN 17 I975 BACK BLADE STA RTSbow N EKADE \S DOMJN STARTS YUSHER \5 DOWN STARTS FRONT FIEZIZZ' SHEETPATENTEDJUN 1 7 I975 IN L ' PATENTEUJUN 1 1 ms SHEET WAGON WHEEL PACKAGELOADER The present invention relates to apparatus for handling andpackaging of food products and more particularly to handling andpackaging of chip-type food products.

A variety of types of packaging equipment has been available in thepast. Chip-type food products, for example, may be inserted into a bagin a random manner merely by dropping the chips through a chute directedinto the bag. Such package filling equipment is not suitable forpackaging uniformly-shaped, nested chips. Packaging of nested chips maybe carried out by hand; however, this technique is time-consuming andcostly. Depositing of uniformly-shaped, nested chips in the loop arraypackage as disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent application Ser.No. 352,8l l is particularly difficult. The present invention overcomessuch dif'ficulties and provides automated equipment for packaging ofuniformly-shaped, nested chips in a loop array.

The apparatus of the present invention includes mechanism for moving astraight column of chips into a loop or are, separating the loop or areinto a plurality of segments having predetermined length andsequentially inserting the segments into a bowl-shaped container. In thedrawings:

FIG. I discloses a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. II shows a front view of the apparatus taken along the line IIII inFIG. I;

FIG. III is a right side view of the apparatus taken along the lineIIIIII in FIG. I;

FIG. IV shows a left side view of the apparatus taken along the lineIV-IV in FIG. I;

FIG. V shows a cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken along theline \/V in FIG. I;

FIG. VI is a view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. II;

FIG. VII is a view taken along the line VIIVII in FIG. V;

FIG. VIII is a view taken along the line VIIIVIII in FIG. VII;

FIG. IX is a view taken along the line IX-IX in FIG. VII;

FIG. X is a view taken along the line X-X in FIG. VII;

FIG. XI is a composite top, side and bottom view of a push member of theapparatus;

FIG. XII shows a composite top, side and bottom view of a blade memberof the apparatus;

FIGS. XIII through XIV show a drive portion of the apparatus;

FIG. XV is a view taken along the line XV-XV in FIG. XIII;

FIG. XVI shows the apparatus in one loading position,

FIGS. XVII through XIX show the container feeding section.

The apparatus (FIGS. I-V) of the present invention includes a supportstructure 11, an inlet track or chip feeding section 12, a segmentingand loading section 13 and a container feeding section 14.

The support structure I] may include a base unit 16 and an upper supportunit [7. The support structure 1] may be constructed of any suitablematerial such as stainless steel stock. The base unit 16 may includeside plates I8, I), 21, 22 and atop plate 23. The upper support unit 17is mounted on base I6 and may include a plurality of posts such as 24,25 and 26. Unit I7 further includes a gear box 27 for purposeshereinafter described. The box 27 may have a triangularly shaped sidewall 28, a bottom wall 29 and a top wall 30.

The chip feeding section I2 (FIGS. I and II) has an inlet track 31including a platform 32 and a pair of rails or guides 33 and 34. Theguides 33 and 34 may be sup ported on platform 32. The track 31 may bein an inclined position if gravity feed is used. If desired, platform 32may be replaced with a continuous conveyor system. The feeding section12 further includes a belt system 35 with a pair of belts 36 and 37which are mounted on rotatable pulleys 38, 39 and 41, 42, respectively.The belts 36 and 37 are driven at a speed sufficient to provide forcedfeeding of the column of chips, but not so great a speed as to result inbreaking of the chips. The pulley 38 may be suitably driven such as by achain and sprocket drive off hereinafter described shaft I42. The pulley38 (FIGS. I, II and VI) may be paired with a gear 38a, and pulley 41 maybe paired with a gear 41a. The gear 38a may drivingly engage gear 4la.The feeding section 12 may include an arc-forming guideway 43 (FIGS. Vand XV). The guideway 43 may be molded of plastic or machined from ametal block 44. The guideway 43 includes a channel 45 which is shapedsubstantially like the lower half of the circumference of the chipcolumn (ie the lower half of the column passing through the presentapparatus, see FIG. V). The guideway 43 may include a belt system 46which assists in moving the column of chips into an arcuate shape. Thebelt system 46 includes pulleys 47, 48, 49 and a belt 51. The belt 51may enter the channel 45 through suitable slots in the side of theguideway block 44.

The segmenting and loading section 13 includes a carrousel 52 (FIGS. Vand VII) which depends from the upper support unit 17. The carrousel 52includes a stationary hub 53 which is mounted integral with the lowerplate 29 of unit 17 such as by welding. A shaft 54 extends through thehub 53 and may be rotatably mounted therein such as in bearings 55 and56. The shaft 54 may have a gear 57 mounted in locked engagement at theupper end thereof. A rotatable hub 58 may be mounted in bearings 61 and62 over the stationary hub 53. The hub 58 has a cylindrical portion 63with radially, outwardly extending flanges 64 and 65. The flange 64 istoothed, thereby providing a gear for purposes hereinafter described. Aplurality of rods 67 (for example twelve) depend from the flange 65. Therods 67 are integrally secured to the flange 65 at the upper endsthereof and integrally secured to a ring 68 at the lower ends thereof.

The carrousel 52 (FIGS. II, V and VII) have a plurality of pairs ofcarriages such as 71 and 72. Carriage 71 is a pusher assembly. Thecarriage 71 (FIGS. VII and XI) includes a body portion 73 having a lowerflange 74 which is wedge-shaped and an upwardly extending side wall 76.The side wall 76 carries a roller 77 which is supported on a shaft 78.The body portion 73 further includes a projection 79 for purposeshereinafter set forth. A pair of openings 81 and 82 may be provided inthe lower flange 74. The openings SI and 82 each have a diameterappropriate to snugly receive a rod such as rod 67a. lfdesired, theopenings 81 and 82 may be provided with suitable bushings (not shown).The carriage 71 further includes a push member 83 which may be connectedto the body portion 73 such as by bar 84. The push member 83 may besubstantially arcuate in shape. The push member 83 may have a recess 85and 86 at each end thereof, respectively.

Carriage 72 is a blade assembly. The blade carriage 72 (FIGS. VII andXll) has a body portion 87 including a lower flange 88 and an upwardlyextending side wall 89. The side wall 89 has a roller assembly 90including a shaft 91 which is secured to side wall 89 and a roller 92which is rotatably mounted on shaft 91. The flange 88 has a pair ofopenings 93 and 94 therein. The diameter of such openings is appropriatefor snug reception of a rod such as rod 67b. If desired, the openings 93and 94 may be provided with suitable bushings (not shown). The carriage72 further includes a blade mounting 96 having a body portion 97 and ablade 98. The blade mounting 96 may be secured to body portion 87 bysuitable means such as screws 99.

An appropriate number of pairs of carriages such as 71 and 72 may beprovided to result in a closed loop as shown in FIG. VIII. The carriages71 and 72 are reciprocally slideable on the rods 67. Compression springs(FIG. VII) such as 100:: and lb may be mounted around the rods 67 tourge the respective carriages 71 and 72 downwardly.

The carrousel 52 (FIGS. V and VII) includes a gate assembly 101. Thegate assembly 101 has a hub 102, which is rotatably mounted over shaft54, and a gate 103, which is integrally mounted at the lower end of hub102. A torsion spring 104 surrounds the hub 102. A first end of torsionspring 104 is secured to hub 102 and the second end is secured to thestationary hub 53. A suitable hub or plate 105 may be disposed betweenspring 104 and hub 53. The spring 104 is placed under tension when hub102 is rotated. Hub 102 has a projection 106 which is aligned forengagement with the projections 79 on each of the pusher carriages 71when such carriages are in the uppermost position.

The carrousel 52 has a multi-blade chip divider 107 secured to the lowerend of shaft 54. One blade of the divider 107 is disposed beneath thelowermost position of each blade 98 and aligned with each of the blades98. The multi-blade chip divider rotates with the shaft 54. Thecarrousel 52 has a stationary two-track barrel cam including track 1100and 110b. The barrel cam 110 may be secured to the wall 29 such as bywelding.

The segmenting section 13 (FIG. V) further includes an idler drive gearassembly 111 having a hub 112, a shaft 113, an upper gear 114 and alower gear 116. The hub 112 is a stationary hub. The shaft 113 may bemounted in the hub 112 using suitable bearings such as 117 and 118. Thegear 114 is in driving engagement with gear 57 mounted on the upper endof shaft 54. The gear 116 is in driving engagement with the toothedflange or gear 64 on rotatable hub 58. A disc cam 119 is mounted on theupper end of shaft 113. The disc cam 119 may alternatively be mounted onshaft 54. The disc cam 119 has a plurality of lobes 120.

The drive system 121 of the present apparatus has an electricallypowered motor 122 which is coupled to a major shaft 123. The motor 122may be suspended from the upper plate 23 of support unit 16. In otherwords, a plurality of posts 124 depend from the plate 23. A motor plate126 is secured to the posts 124 such as by screws 127. The motor 122 maybe secured to the plate 126 by a plurality of screws 128. The shaft 123may be suitably mounted in bearings such as 129 and 130. The shaft 123may be secured to motor 122 by coupler 131. The upper end of shaft 123has a gear 138 mounted for driving engagement with idler gear 111.

The drive system 121 (FIGS. XIII and XIV) further includes a portion 141for driving the arc-forming guideway belt system 46. The drive portion141 has a shaft 142, an upper pulley 143, and a bar 144. The shaft 142is rotatably mounted in bar 144 such as in bearing 146. The bar 144 hasa roller assembly 147 including a mounting bracket 148, a shaft 149 anda roller 151. The roller 151 engages the cam 119. The bar 144 has adrive roller 152 for engagement with gear 57. Alternatively, a frictionwheel (not shown) may be mounted on shaft 54 for driving engagement withroller 154. The drive roller may include a shaft 153. a roller 154 and apulley 156. A belt 155 may drivingly connect pulley 156 with pulley 143.The roller 154 is normally urged into driving engagement with gear 57 byspring 145. Roller 151 generally is not in contact with the cam 119. Theroller 151 disengages roller 154 from gear 57 when roller 151 contactseach of the lobes 120 on the cam 119 thus arresting the driving of shaft142 for a short time.

The container feeding section 14 (FIGS. l-III) may include a supportplatform 161 supported on a plurality of posts 162. A hopper 163 may beprovided for holding a column of nested containers. The hopper 163 maybe constructed of four upstanding rods 164 a. b, c and d. A ring 166 maybe attached near the upper ends of rods 164 a-d and serves to hold therods in spaced position near the upper end thereof. At the lower ends,the rods 164 a-d may be attached to the platform 161 such as by screws(not shown). The feeding section 14 has a container de-nester 167 (FIGS.VI and XVII-XIX) which sequentially de-nests and drops individualcontainers such as 168. The de-nester includes four flighted discs171-174. The flights separate the containers and drop them one by one ina timed sequence. The discs 171-174 (FIG. V) may be suitably driven suchas by a chain or belt drive 175 taken off the shaft 123. Alternatively,the de-nester may be of any desired conventional construction.

The feeding section 14 (FIG. 1) includes an indexing star carriage 191for moving the container into location for filling. The star carriage191 is shown as having six rays 192-197 and six container pockets201-206. The star carriage 191 (FIG. V) is mounted on a hub 207 which ismounted on shaft 123 such as by bearings 208 and 209. The hub 207 thusis rotatable with respect to shaft 123. Mechanism 211, such as 21 GenevaDrive, is provided for indexing the star carriage step-by-step. A guideor rail 212 is provided to retain the containers in the pockets untilthe filled containers are released into a chute. The containers 168 aresupported on a plate 214.

The feeding section 14 (FIGS. IV and V) may include an elevator 301 formoving the container upward into the filling position. The elevator mayhave a barreltype cam 302 which is mounted on shaft 123. The cam 302 hasa barrel portion 303, a hub 304 which is keyed to shaft 123, and aninterconnecting web 306. The barrel portion 303 has a raceway 307suitable for receipt of a roller. The elevator 30] has a stationary hub31] which may be secured to plate 23 such as by welding. The elevator301 may have a shaft 312 mounted for reciprocation in hub 31]. The shaft312 has a platform 313 mounted on the upper end thereof for support of acontainer 168. The shaft 312 may have a roller 314 near the lower endthereof for engagement in the raceway 307 of cam 302 thereby providingraising and lowering of the platform 313 as the cam rotates with shaft123.

Although the operation of the packaging apparatus is apparent from thepreceding description of such apparatus, such operation will be setforth in detail hereinafter. The apparatus 10 may be placed in operationby providing electrical power to the motor 122 (FlG. V). The motor 122rotates the main shaft 123 which in turn places the chip feeding section12, segmenting section 13, and container feeding section 14 inoperation. A column of chips may be placed in the inlet track 31 (FIGS.l and II). The feeding belt systems 36 and 37 grip the column of chipsand urge the column forwardly into the arc-forming guideway 43. (SeeFIG. XV). The belt system 46 drivingly urges one side edge of the columnforwardly more rapidly than the other side edge thereby forming thecolumn into an arcuate shape.

The carrousel 52 is simultaneously rotating. The roller 92 (FIG. VII) ofblade carriage 72 traverses the innver cam track 1100 of the drum cam110. Such track moves to a lower position (FIG. Vlll) across the forwardportion of drum 110 and as the carriage 72 approaches such forwardportion, the spring 100 urges the blade carriage 72 downwardly such thatblade 98 slides between a pair of nested chips. The arc-forming guidewaybelt system 46 may be halted for a short time as each knife blade 98moves downwardly and slides between a pair of nested chips. This permitsslight loosening of the column of chips and makes easier the entry ofthe knife blade 98 between the chips resulting in less likelihood ofchip breakage. As the arcuate portion of the chips continues to feed,the chip column is supported on the gate 103. The projection 79 on thepusher carriage 72 engages the projection 106 and rotates the hub 102 atthe same rate of movement as the advancing column of chips. The nextblade carriage 72 then approaches the lower portion of the cam track indrum 110 and the second blade moves downwardly between a pair of nestedchips. At this point a segment of nested chips is supported at theforward end by one knife blade 98, at the rearward end by a second knifeblade and along the bottom by the gate 103. Next the pusher carriage 71begins to move downwardly between the two knife blades. As this happens,the projection 79 moves downwardly disengaging from the projection 106on hub 102. The torsion spring 104, being under tension, rotates thegate 103 rearwardly and from beneath the segment of chips. The pusher 71then pushes the segment of chips from between the knife blades, into thecontainer to a location between a pair of blades of the chip divider 107as shown in FIG. XVI. This procedure is repeated until a container isfilled. For example, the segments may be of an appropriate size suchthat three column segments fill a container.

The container may be placed in position for filling by hand. However, inone preferred embodiment as shown herein, the containers aresequentially dropped between the rays 192]97 of the star carriage 191.The star carriage sequentially rotates to move individual containersinto position beneath the segmenting section 13. The elevator 301 raisesthe container into position for filling. Namely, into position such thatthe upper edge of the container is disposed immediately beneath the gate103 with the chip divider 107 located within the container as shown inFIG. Vll. As each container is filled, the elevator 301 movesdownwardly. The star carriage indexes one unit such that the nextcontainer is located beneath the segmenting section 13. The elevatoragain raises the container into position for filling. In the preferredembodiment disclosed herein, all portions of the packaging equipment arepowered by a single motor and thus all elements of the equipment operatein cooperative timed sequence.

Although a preferred embodiment is disclosed herein, a wide variety ofmodifications may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. For example, the apparatus may have various shieldsand covers as desired, such as for safety purposes. The individualcontainers may be manually placed in position for filling. Also, thecolumn of chips may be fed to the apparatus by powered conveyor meansrather than by the disclosed gravity feed inlet track. Various othermodifications may be made.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for packaging of chip-type snacks in a loop array. saidapparatus comprising:

means for moving a straight column of nested chips into a loop array;

means for separating the loop array into a plurality of column segments;and

means for sequentially inserting said segments into a container to forma loop array in said package.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for moving a straightcolumn of nested chips into a loop array comprises an arc-formingguideway.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said arc-forming guideway includesmeans for moving one side edge of said column forward more rapidly thanthe other side edge.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for moving comprises abelt system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said separating means comprisesreciprocating blade means.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said separating means comprises aplurality of reciprocating blade means.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said inserting means comprises agate means for supporting said seg ments in position over said containerand means for removing said gate means thereby permitting said segmentto move into said container.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said inserting means furtherincludes push means for pushing the segment into said container.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said belt system includes means fordriving said system and means for interrupting the driving of saidsystem, said interrup tion being timed to provide looseness in saidnested chips as said blade means separates said loop array intosegments.

10. A method for packaging chip-type snacks in a loop array package,said method comprising:

nesting uniformly shaped chips to form a column of chips;

moving said column of chips into a loop array;

sequentially separating the loop array into a plurality of loop arraysegments; and

sequentially inserting said segments into a container to form a looparray in said package.

1. Apparatus for packaging of chip-type snacks in a loop array, saidapparatus comprising: means for moving a straight column of nested chipsinto a loop array; means for separating the loop array into a pluralityof column segments; and means for sequentially inserting said segmentsinto a container to form a loop array in said package.
 2. The apparatusof claim 1 wherein said means for moving a straight column of nestedchips into a loop array comprises an arc-forming guideway.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 2 wherein said arc-forming guideway includes meansfor moving one side edge of said column forward more rapidly than theother side edge.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means formoving comprises a belt system.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidseparating means comprises reciprocating blade means.
 6. The apparatusof claim 4 wherein said separating means comprises a plurality ofreciprocating blade means.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidinserting means comprises a gate means for supporting said segments inposition over said container And means for removing said gate meansthereby permitting said segment to move into said container.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 7 wherein said inserting means further includes pushmeans for pushing the segment into said container.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 6 wherein said belt system includes means for driving said systemand means for interrupting the driving of said system, said interruptionbeing timed to provide looseness in said nested chips as said blademeans separates said loop array into segments.
 10. A method forpackaging chip-type snacks in a loop array package, said methodcomprising: nesting uniformly shaped chips to form a column of chips;moving said column of chips into a loop array; sequentially separatingthe loop array into a plurality of loop array segments; and sequentiallyinserting said segments into a container to form a loop array in saidpackage.